Christmas Games–Don’t Eat Santa! {Free Printable}

Several years ago I shared a few ideas for Christmas games. This game has remained a family favorite. In fact, every year when I ask my boys what Christmas activities we should do as a family, one of them always shouts out “Don’t Eat Santa!” They all love it. And any game that involves chocolate is a winner in my book too. We like to use M&M’s, but any small candy will do. We have even played with chocolate chips when pickin’s were slim in the candy department. 😉

I decided to make up a printable using so that you can play this fun game with your family. (It makes a great classroom party as well.) Maybe it will even become a tradition at your house like it is at ours!

We originally got this game as a neighbor gift. It came with a bag of M&M’s. One of the best neighbor gifts we have ever received!!

The instructions are on the printable, but here is how you play:
Place an M&M on each Santa. One person leaves the room. The remaining players agree on one secret Santa. Then the player comes back into the room and begins picking up and eating one M&M at a time. When the player picks up the M&M on the secret Santa, everyone yells “Don’t Eat Santa!” Choose a different player and start over.

It is a hoot watching people play! Some pick up the candy very slowly and methodically, trying not to pick the secret Santa. Others just pick pieces quickly and eat them as fast as they can. Just about everyone jumps when all the players yell “Don’t Eat Santa!”. So much fun!

For those of you with little artists, I have also included a blank version of the game. Younger children can have a lot of fun drawing their own “Santas” in the squares. Then you have a little keepsake as well.

To print out a copy of the game, just click the link below. Page one has the complete game, page two is the blank form. I recommend having the game laminated so it will last year after year. Have fun!

Note: I made this game up using free, public domain clipart that I found online. Feel free to make as many copies as you like to share with friends and family, but please don’t sell them. That just wouldn’t be nice. And you don’t want to get on Santa’s naughty list!

My kids love this game. I’m printing it, wrapping it & adding it to our Countdown box of gifts. This year I’m trying a new tradition. Wrapping 25 Christmas books, short videos, games, activities, etc. that we already have. We open 1 each night until Christmas. I’m a little slow to get the 25 things chosen & wrapped but they’ve loved what we’ve done so far… made snowflakes, drank hot cocoa, read the 3 trees, watched Little House on the Prairie Christmas, Write something you can do to be more like Christ this week, etc. Too bad I already ate my stash of mint m&ms… we’ll have to settle for chocolate chips 🙂